Patent Application
20080039693
The present invention is further described in the detail description which follows, in reference to the noted plurality of drawings, by way of non-limiting examples of preferred embodiments of the present invention, in which like characters represent like elements throughout the several views of the drawings, and wherein:
The present invention will be described below with reference to the embodiments shown in the drawings.
The particulars shown herein are by way of example and for purposes of illustrative discussion of the embodiments of the present invention only and are presented in the cause of providing what is believed to be the most useful and readily understood description of the principles and conceptual aspects of the present invention. In this regard, no attempt is made to show structural details of the present invention in more detail than is necessary for the fundamental understanding of the present invention, the description taken with the drawings making apparent to those skilled in the art how the several forms of the present invention may be embodied in practice.
The endoscope system has an endoscope 10, a processor 40, and a monitor 50. The endoscope 10 is detachably connected to the processor 40. A tubular and flexible insertion portion 10A of the endoscope 10, which is connected to an operation portion, is inserted into a body to diagnose or operate on a diseased portion. A rigid or stiff tip unit 10B is detachably or removably attached to the distal end of the insertion portion 10A. The monitor 50 is connected to the processor 40.
A laser unit 42 is provided in the processor 40 and emits a laser bean. The irradiated light enters an incident surface 12I of an optical fiber 12, which may be a single-mode optical fiber. The optical fiber 12 extends through the endoscope 10 and guides or directs the light from the proximal end to the distal end of the endoscope 10. Light passing through the optical fiber 12 exits from the tip portion of the endoscope 10, so that an observed area or portion is illuminated.
Light reflected off, or emitted by, the observed portion enters a plurality of photodiodes 14, which are provided at the distal end of the endoscope 10. Image-pixel signals are successively sent from the photodiodes 14 to an image signal processing circuit 44 in a processor 40 via a signal cable CB1. In the image signal processing circuit 44, the image-pixel signals are subjected to various processes to generate image signals. The generated image signals are fed to the monitor 50, so that an object image is displayed on the monitor 50.
A controller 46 outputs control signals to the distal end of the endoscope 10 via a signal cable CB2 to control an actuator 16. Any suitable actuator may be provided, such as a piezoelectric actuator. A timing controller outputs clock pulse signals to a photodiode driver so as to synchronize a read-timing of the image-pixel signals with the driving of the actuator 16.
As shown in
As shown in
The piezoelectric actuator 16 is attached to the connector 13A by a fixing member 27, and the vibrating optical fiber 17 passes through and extends from the piezoelectric actuator 16 toward the optical system 19. A ferrule 15 is inserted into a hole 13C of the sleeve-like connector 13A, which coaxially extends along the axis L. The length of the ferrule 15 is shorter than that of the hole 13C.
The connector 13B, fixed to the distal end 10C of the insertion portion 10A, is a double housing constructions which includes an outer housing 25A and an inner housing 25B. A cylindrical protrusion 11A of the housing 11, which extends toward the connector 13B, is received in the outer housing 25A, whereas the connector 13A of the tip unit 10B is received in the inner housing 25B. An alignment groove 13T of the connector 13A extends along the axis L, and a guide protrusion or extension 13U is formed on the inner surface of the inner housing 25B so as to engage with the groove 13T. Alternatively, a guide protrusion may be provided on the connector 13A for engagement with an alignment groove provided on the inner housing 25B. The tip unit 10B may be fixed to the connector 13B in any suitable manner, such as by a screw. The tip unit 10B may be attached to or detached from the connector 13B by turning the screw. Further, a suitable sealing device, such as an O-ring, may be positioned between the connector 13A and the connector 13B.
In the inner housing 25B, the end portion 12A of the optical fiber 12 coaxially projects along the axis L. The end portion 12A is inserted in the coaxial hole 13C formed in the connector 13A, and connects with the ferrule 15. In this manner the vibrating optical fiber 17 optically connects with the optical fiber 12.
Four metallic pins 23A, 23B, 23C, and 23D connect with the signal cables CB1 and CB2 shown in
As shown in
The plurality of photodiodes 14 (not shown in
The vibrating optical fiber 17 projects from the actuator 16 along the axis L so that the distal end of the optical fiber 17 becomes a cantilever. An adhesive 26 may be applied to the end portion of the actuator 16 to hold the cantilevered vibrating optical fiber 17 securely. The tube-shaped piezoelectric actuator 16 may be a bimorph type, and may be formed of any suitable piezoelectric materials, such as PZT. The piezoelectric actuator 16 deforms by the inverse piezoelectric effect, and two-dimensionally drives the distal end of the vibrating optical fiber 17. The piezoelectric actuator 16 vibrates the distal end along two axes perpendicular to each other while modulating or amplifying amplitudes of the vibration, so as to scan the tip portion of the vibrating optical fiber 17 in spiral patterns. Thus, light irradiated from the tip unit 10B via the lens 19 is scanned over the observed portion in the spiral patterns.
Light reflected from the observed portion passes through the lens 19 and the plurality of photodiodes 14 collect the reflected light. In this manner, signals corresponding to the detected light are read from the photodiodes 14 in a time-series, and are fed to the image signal processing circuit 44 shown in
In this manner in the first embodiment, the tip unit 10B equipped with the optical fiber 17, the photodiodes 14, and the actuator 16 is interchangeable and detachably connected to the distal end 10C of the insertion portion 10A. When the tip unit 10B is attached to the insert portion 10A, the actuator 16 and the photodiodes 14 are electrically connected to the signal cables CB1 and CB2 via the flexible wiring boards 29. Also, the optical fiber 17 is optically connected to the optical fiber 12.
An operator may select a proper tip unit from the three types of tip units 10B, 100, and 200, and attach a selected tip unit to the distal end of the insertion portion 10A. The operator can then change the observation condition by changing only the tip unit, without changing an entire endoscope body. Further, the tip units can be disposable or single-use, to avoid additional cleaning and sterilization steps. Further still, since the optical fiber 17 is disposed along the axis L of the housing 11 of the endoscope tip unit 10B, the connector 13A can be formed as a sleeve, which is a relatively simple construction.
With reference to
In an endoscope 300, a tube 305 extends from a processor to an operation portion 310. The operation portion 310 includes operator controls, such as knobs or buttons, for manipulating or bending the distal end of the endoscope 300. A tubular and flexible insertion portion 320 with a connector 315A is attached to the operation portion 310 via a connector 315B. A forceps tube or channel 330 is provided in the insertion portion 320. An instrument may be inserted through an inlet 335 of the forceps channel 330. The insertion portion 320 is a forward observation type. In the distal end of the insertion portion 320, an optical fiber, a piezoelectric actuator and photodiodes are provided, similar to the first embodiment.
A signal cable 340 extends through the insertion portion 320, and a plurality of pins 345 are attached to the end portion of the signal cable 340. A signal cable 360, which extends through the tube 305 and the operation portion 310, is connected to a socket or receptacle 365 provided in the connector 315B.
An optical fiber 370 extending through the tube 305 and the operation portion 310 is connected to a ferrule 372, which is coaxially inserted in a sleeve 375 provided in the connector 315B. The connector 315A fits in the connector 315B, so that the signal cable 340 is electrically connected to the signal cable 360 via the receptacle 365 in which pins 345 are received. The fiber cable 370 is optically connected to the fiber cable 350 via the ferrule 372. The connectors 315A and 315B may include respective alignment structures, such as a groove 316A and a corresponding protrusion 316B, in order to ensure proper alignment during connection.
In the second embodiment, the insertion portion 320 is removably or detachably connected to the operation portion 310. In this manner, the insertion portion 320 is interchangeable and may be a of single-use type. For example, another type of insertion portion, such as an auto-fluorescent observation type or a side-observation type, can be attached to the operation portion 310.
In the first and second embodiments, although a tip unit with photodiodes is shown, other types of photo-detectors may be utilized. Further, a tip unit with an image-guide composed of an optical fiber, which optically transmits an image from the distal end to the proximal end of the endoscope, can also be used. In addition, a tip unit of co-focal construction with double cladding may be utilized.
Finally, it will be understood by those skilled in the arts that the foregoing description is of preferred embodiments of the device, and that various changes and modifications may be made to the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof.
It is further noted that the foregoing examples have been provided merely for the purpose of explanation and are in no way to be construed as limiting of the present invention. While the present invention has been described with reference to a preferred embodiment, it is understood that the words which have been used herein are words of description and illustration, rather than words of limitation. Changes may be made, within the purview of the appended claims, as presently stated and as amended, without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention in its aspects. Although the present invention has been described herein with reference to particular means, materials and embodiments, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the particulars disclosed herein; rather, the present invention extends to all functionally equivalent structures, methods and uses, such as are within the scope of the appended claims.
The illustrations of the embodiments described herein are intended to provide a general understanding of the structure of the various embodiments. The illustrations are not intended to serve as a complete description of all of the elements and features of apparatus and systems that utilize the structures or methods described herein. Many other embodiments may be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reviewing the disclosure. Other embodiments may be utilized and derived from the disclosure, such that structural and logical substitutions and changes may be made without departing from the scope of the disclosure. Accordingly, the disclosure and the figures are to be regarded as illustrative rather than restrictive.
One or more embodiments of the disclosure may be referred to herein, individually and/or collectively, by the term “invention” merely for convenience and without intending to voluntarily limit the scope of this application to any particular invention or inventive concept. Moreover, although specific embodiments have been illustrated and described herein, it should be appreciated that any subsequent arrangement designed to achieve the same or similar purpose may be substituted for the specific embodiments shown. This disclosure is intended to cover any and all subsequent adaptations or variations of various embodiments. Combinations of the above embodiments, and other embodiments not specifically described herein, will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reviewing the description.
The above disclosed subject matter is to be considered illustrative, and not restrictive, and the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications, enhancements, and other embodiments which fail within the true spirit and scope of the present invention. Thus, to the maximum extent allowed by law, the scope of the present invention is to be determined by the broadest permissible interpretation of the following claims and their equivalents, and shall not be restricted or limited by the foregoing detailed description.
Although the invention has been described with reference to several exemplary embodiments, it is understood that the words that have been used are words of description and illustration, rather than words of limitation. As the present invention may be embodied in several forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof it should also be understood that the above-described embodiments are not limited by any of the details of the foregoing description, unless otherwise specified. Rather, the above-described embodiments should be construed broadly within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined in the appended claims. Therefore, changes may be made within the metes and bounds of the appended claims, as presently stated and as amended, without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention in its aspects.
